Facebook 411: Your Guide to the New Features

What’s going on with your Facebook feed? Like it or not,
the ever-evolving social network
has rolled out several changes in the past few weeks, with more to come. At its recent F8 Developer Conference, Mark Zuckerberg unveiled plans for the future that seek to make the site
more a part of our lives
than ever before. Here’s what you can expect—now and to come:

Ticker

Perplexed by that pesky new box of continuously-loading information that suddenly appeared on the right-hand side of your home page? Welcome the Facebook “Ticker,” a live feed that replaces the “Most Recent” tab from your original News Feed. The Ticker automatically updates your friends’ activities—yes,
all of them, no matter how minute
—in real time, as they happen.

Timeline

Feeling nostalgic for news and status updates of yore? Say hello to Facebook Timeline (now in beta), a multi-column, redesigned profile page that will permit you to scroll back in time to view posts and activities dating from the very first day you joined the social network. You’ll also be able to go back and add info, photos, and videos to any period on your Timeline, plus adorn your page with your places, “likes,”
favorite apps
, and a panoramic photo header. In short, Facebook aims for Timeline to act as a sort of digital yearbook, with a welcome air of originality and sentimentality.

Looking Beyond “Like”

Tired of being limited to just “liking” your favorite posts, videos, and songs? With the addition of three new buttons, users will soon also be able to “read,” “listen,” and “watch” content they appreciate. Unfortunately, the much-desired but controversial “dislike” button remains to be seen.

Social App Integration

Want to know what your friends are watching and listening to? With a number of new big-name media partnerships, Facebook seeks to further engage users through its new “open graph” technology that integrates web pages with social media. If you just listened to a hot new Adele song on Spotify or watched an amazing movie on Netflix, your Ticker will pick up on it and alert your friends of these activities, so they can comment or join in the fun (or just
take stalking to a whole new level
).

Love them? Hate them? What do you think of the new Facebook features? Which new ones are you most looking forward to?

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As The Daily Muse's Head of Social Media, Susan gains great joy from concocting clever Tweets and Facebook posts and brainstorming catchy headlines. A native Philadelphian and Penn State alum, she has a resourceful background in communications and graphic design. Susan was married in Vegas by Elvis, proudly sporting a $49.99 white cocktail dress from Tar-zhay. She also has yet to meet a plate of nachos she hasn’t liked.